Causes of severe visual impairment and blindness among children in visually handicapped schools in jordan

Abstract EN

Objectives: To identify the major causes of severe visual impairment and blindness among children in visually handicapped schools in Amman-Jordan with a view to determine potentially preventable and treatable causes.

Methods: This study was conducted in two schools for visually handicapped children in Amman.

The medical records of 160 students were reviewed during the period between August and October 2005.

Results: A total of one hundred and sixty students (85 males and 75 females, aged 6-18 years) were enrolled in the study.

Twenty-eight children (17.5%) had severe visual impairment and 132 (82.5%) were blind.

Retinal abnormalities were the most common pathology (41.9%).

Glaucoma, primary optic nerve pathology and cataract constituted 18.8%, 13.1% and 11.3% respectively.

According to timing of insult, the major cause of visual impairment was hereditary diseases (50%), followed by abnormalities of unknown timing of insult (30%).

It was estimated that 71 children (44.4%) suffer from visual impairment caused by potentially preventable or treatable conditions.

Conclusions: The major causes of severe visual impairment and blindness among children in visually handicapped schools were glaucoma, primary optic nerve pathology and cataract.